THE OFFICAL USA-BRAZIL THREAD!
"He's been a 1st option on a team that's won a playoff game. Twice."
I meant a first round series, not game.
I'm not hating on Iguodala. I've liked him since Arizona. It's just that when I think of second options on championship caliber teams, I think of Pau Gasol, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, Brandon Roy (who I think is really a second option on a championship caliber team), etc.
I just don't think Iguodala is a consistent enough/reliable scorer. That doesn't mean I don't think he's good. I think he'd thrive in the third option role, while being able to play his usual all-around game.
See.. To me, the fact that he slashes makes it easier if he has a stud on the block.. Then, he has a guy to dump the ball to incase he gets trapped, or, he can turn and kick the ball out.. If his only option is to stop and kick the ball out after her drives, then people will defend that. BUT, if he has a guy on the block along with shooters, then he would be far more effective..
@ about 5 left. But man, the US has missed some gimmes and gotten very lucky. Durant seems to have a 6 inch height advantage on his man, but his block on Splitter was nice. Billups and Odom missed sure lay-ins, and Odom definitely got away with steps on that spin move and still misses! Come on USA, you have to do better than this!
You can't let a players salary determine what they are as an option. If we go by that then Eddy Curry at 11 million is a second option. Iggy is a 3rd option on a championship caliber team b/c he has a very good all around game, but isn't the scorer to be a 2nd option. He won't eclipse the 20 ppg game mark for a season more than once, idk if he will ever do it.
You can't let a players salary determine what they are as an option.
Never did, just stating his salary and what he is. He's a robin, a overpaid robin in the NBA. It doesn't surprise me he think he's better then he is. To me, he's taken the biggest hit in these games. He cannot shoot, he's just a long defender and that's it.
He's not a great shooter, but his passing abilities he can take to his advantage when he drives to the basket rather than forcing stuff. A lot of the teams know to collapse on guys when they drive and make the Americans shoot from the perimeter in order to beat them.
Realistically, he's only playing because he's a good defender.
Lamar Odom could pass better then him, he could do the same thing. He's not clutch and he always makes that " How is that foul on me face" when he gets called on ( which I hate). Iggy is just someone who I expected to do well because he was a vet on this team and he's done the opposite.
To me, he went from 2nd option to 3rd option on a title team to me.
Rose sucked on defense. I don't understand how someone so athletic and quick can be suck a bad defender. I don't see the improved jumper. In the lol min Westbrook got he was unimpressive as well with his decision making. Billuos played pretty well and realizes u can't go full speed all the time when making a play on offense
Quincey I can agree with everything you said except for the improved Jumper on Rose's part. Maybe it hasn't improved, but he is definitely a lot more confident taking it, and is making them at a better rate, so yeah that is basically improving lol.
I might get bashed for this, but Brazil defiantely should have won, based on how the U.S. played. Barbosa usually doesn't shoot that poorly and he forced some shots, too. Varejao would have been helpful, too but if Nene hadn't been hurt this would have been a completely different game.
On a different note, I gotta agree Quincey, how can someone so quick and athletic like Rose be such a God-awful defender?
I think Iguodala is a great defender, as well as a great athlete and finisher. He has the perfect combination of length and quickness to play great defense on positions 1-3, as well as play the passing lanes. He is also a very mature player who seems like he really gives full effort on every play.
I think offensively his jumper is streaky and his handle is suspect at times, but he is good enough moving without the ball and finishing in transition to compensate so that he could be a #2 scorer on a championship team, but not necessarily the #2 option in a halfcourt set. For instance, if he was traded to the Lakers I would still consider Kobe #1, Pau #2, and Iguodala #3 in the halfcourt, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Iguodala put up a higher scoring average than Gasol due to his activity in the open court.
I think that he needs to play with a guy that is a beast on the block.. Not because he is a catch and shoot type of guy but because he knows how to find people and capitalize on a defender trying to close out on him... Put him in NJ, Orlando, or JY and he will be a better player..